Silent Night
by rebelxxwaltz
Summary: Sequel to 'Unguarded', but can be read as a stand alone. Giles has arrived in Sunnydale with the Potentials just in time for Christmas. Things are tense between Slayer and Watcher. Will the spark between them light up or fizzle out? A B/G Christmas story.
1. Chapter 1

Hi! (waves happily) Here comes another B/G story from me. This is just a little something for the holidays, a B/G Christmas fic in two parts. It serves as a sequel to _Unguarded_, but I don't think it's totally necessary to read that story in order to enjoy this. Might help set the scene, though!

For anyone who has read that story, I hope you'll enjoy this as a continuation. Happy Holidays to all! :)

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**Title: **Silent Night 1/2**  
Author: **mischiefmagnet**  
Rating: **M**  
Pairing: **Buffy/Giles**  
Summary: **Sequel to _Unguarded_, but can be read as a stand alone. Giles has arrived in Sunnydale with the Potentials just in time for Christmas. Things are tense between Slayer and Watcher. Will the spark between them light up or fizzle out? A B/G Christmas story.**  
Spoilers: **Set right around the time of Season 7 'Bring On the Night', so at least up until then.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own BtVS or any of the characters. I'm just torturing- I mean borrowing- them for awhile. A small amount of dialogue is taken from the episode 'Bring On the Night'. Also, there is a short excerpt in this chapter from another story written by me, _Unguarded_. It is included to help explain the changing nature of the relationship between Buffy and Giles. I'm pretty sure I gave myself permission to use it (though perhaps I should check with myself one more time).

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**Silent Night: Chapter 1**

It was two days until Christmas, and all was not well in Sunnydale. Something big and extra evil was on the horizon, and even inside the Summers' house things were getting tense and somewhat creepy. Willow's locator spell, intended to find The First, had backfired egregiously. Buffy didn't know what to do, other than to start pounding the pavement and hope she might find a lead. With Xander hot on her heels, she headed for the door. At this point, the freak-o-meter jumped from four alarms to five.

"…I'm afraid we have a slight apocalypse."

Dumbstruck, Buffy wondered briefly if this so-called apocalypse was happening inside her painfully knotting stomach when she saw Rupert Giles standing on her doorstep. She took in the sight of her erstwhile Watcher, the man she had not heard from in months. Even the Council had claimed ignorance of his whereabouts, which had left the Slayer in a quiet panic. She had feared that either Travers had been lying (bad) or Giles was in serious trouble (über bad). Between the disturbing dreams Buffy had been having and her inability to locate Giles, she had imagined the worst. She wasn't sure if the bulk of her current inner turmoil was caused by those worries- now apparently baseless- or if it had more to do with what had happened between herself and Giles before he had left for England with Willow…

**oooooooo**

_**Several Months Ago**_

_Slowly, Buffy sank onto him, feeling more complete with every inch of his shaft as she took him inside. Her breath came in shudders as he filled her completely, surging within her as he accustomed himself to the feel of her scorching heat. For a long moment the two simply watched each other, savoring the connection and the raw emotions laid out between them. Leaning her slender body forward, Buffy placed her hands on Giles' shoulders and rolled her hips hesitantly. Her feelings overwhelmed her as she felt how perfectly he fit inside her, the agonizing pleasure his body was sharing with hers. Raising one hand to trace his lips, she allowed the words to tumble out._

_"Giles, I love you."_

_He grabbed her hand before she could pull it away, holding it against the side of his face as he returned her heated glance. "I've always loved you, Buffy. And I always will."_

_With that, the time for coherent speech was at an end. Buffy's hips moved in time with the upward thrusts made by Giles, using all the strength in his deceptively powerful core. Soon they were both trembling with need. Giles knew Buffy was headed over the edge as she began to ride him wildly, gripping his cock deep within her as she spasmed, biting into his shoulder to muffle her screams. She had never felt anything so powerful and intimate, wishing this moment with him could stretch on forever. As she rode the waves of her orgasm, he felt her mouth next to his ear saying his name over and over again. The sound of his name like a prayer on her lips built him up to a point where he knew his orgasm was soon to follow._

_He flipped them so that her body was beneath him and started fucking her with all the strength and passion his sure and solid frame possessed, moaning into her neck as he felt her start to come again. Buffy was holding on for dear life. He slid one arm beneath her, clutching her hard against him as he continued to slam his length into her body over and over. Soon the delicious heat and friction became too much. Stars exploded behind Giles eyelids as he emptied himself into her, absently feeling her small hands gripping at his backside to hold him inside of her as deep as he could go, her legs wrapped tightly around him. After riding through a surprisingly lengthy series of aftershocks, Giles finally collapsed on top of Buffy, releasing an exultant noise that was both a moan and a delighted laugh._

_Their sensitized limbs were slick with sweat as they cuddled against each other feeling totally content, if only for just one moment. They kissed with unhurried abandon, not wanting to let the moment end. Eventually they came to rest, having resumed their original position with Buffy cuddled against Giles' side, minus the barrier of clothing that previously separated them. He stroked her hair absently and she buried her face back into the crook of his neck, cursing the inevitability of sleep. Both Watcher and Slayer knew that when they woke again, the outside world would be waiting…_

**oooooooo**

And it _had_ been waiting. Willow was broken, and Xander hadn't been holding up much better. Dawn was freaked, Anya was at a loss, and Tara was gone. Buffy hadn't wanted to leave his arms that morning. She wanted to stay in his embrace forever, the only place where the universe seemed sane and happy. They had made love again, with silent intensity, before rising to meet the new day.

In a sense, giving in to her feelings for Giles had made things harder, because she knew what she was missing after that. Buffy had a whole new awareness, a different realm of understanding in their interactions. Even so, they hadn't intended for it to happen again. Both Buffy and Giles knew that now was not the time for them to pursue any type of romantic relationship, that there might never be a right time for that. However, every time their eyes met in the days between their night together and his departure, her new found hunger for him surged back to the forefront. And, as hard as he tried, he couldn't deny her or himself. It had happened twice more before he left; once in Buffy's bedroom in a frenzied tangle of limbs and urgently grabbing hands while everyone else was out, and again in the back seat of the rental car Giles had picked up to drive himself and Willow to the airport.

The closeness and desperation of those stolen moments floated back to Buffy as she regarded the man standing just a few feet away. She had missed him so much, worried that he might be dead. They had lost contact after Willow's return from England. She hadn't heard from him for over two months, and her concern for him bundled up with the new threat that was approaching had been making her incredibly jumpy. Relief suddenly flooded through her veins when she saw his solid form in front of her, and her first instinct had been to throw herself into his arms in a heedless fit of euphoria- regardless of who was looking on.

Instinct interrupted, apparently. The Slayer's brows knit in confusion as a short parade of teenage girls crossed the threshold of her house, stepping in front of her and cutting her off in mid-attack. Buffy's features softened as she saw a hint of apology in Giles' eyes. Raising an inquisitive eyebrow which bore the promise of explanations to come, she ushered him into the living room where a bewildered audience awaited.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

His first few hours back in the Summers' house had been… awkward. To say the least. The tension radiating from Buffy every time he drew within five feet of her was palpable, and they hadn't occasioned upon even the vaguest possibility of a moment alone for Giles to explain the unfortunate necessity of his recent disappearance.

Breaking contact with her had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done, especially after what had passed between them last time he was in Sunnydale. Many times while he was tracking the Potential Slayers, grasping at the smallest straw of a lead if it meant getting there before the Bringers, he had wanted to hear her voice. Looking out the window on a train or a plane he would find his mind drifting back to those moments of bliss with her in his arms, burning hot and clinging to him passionately… his body could still feel the ghost of hers against him, around him.

Giles wished it hadn't been necessary to cut himself off from her, but he knew what the Council would have done if they thought Buffy knew where he was. A special operations squad wouldn't have been the half of it. Apparently his plan had worked just as he had hoped- Buffy had grumbled something under her breath earlier about how 'even the stupid Council' hadn't known where to find him. He could tell that she was hurt, but through his explanation to the room at large her look didn't seem to carry resentment. That was a relief. Perhaps she knew, now, what it had been like for him that summer when she herself had disappeared.

Shaking his head, the Watcher pushed that thought away. He didn't want it to be about that, and certainly refused to think that her behavior as an immature teenager gave him the right to pay those feelings back. The situations didn't even bear a comparison. Not to mention, now was certainly not the time to let emotions get in the way.

He watched her as she stared out of the dining room window into the growing darkness outside, wondering silently whether he was fooling anybody, least of all himself. With Buffy, there were always emotions. Sometimes they were in the way, sometimes they just… were. Even Wesley Wyndam-Pryce at his worst had seen it, classifying Giles' feelings as 'an emotional problem'. Oh, if Wesley had only known toward what those emotions tended… in which way his feelings were inclined even now.

During his time away he had tried to travel light, with the memories of making love to Buffy being undoubtedly the heaviest thing he was carrying. It was a pleasant burden to bear. He had felt so close to her in spirit. She was a constant presence in his heart, and without the real-life complications that existed when they were actually together he was able to give himself over to that perception without guilt. He knew the danger of his mission, and his path- littered as it was with the broken corpses of potential Slayers- was such that he could only let himself love her or go insane trying not to. He had needed his wits about him, so he allowed the feeling to nest. Right now, however, things were different. Complicated. Again.

Ironic really- that he would feel so close to her when he was thousands of miles away, only to find such a great distance between them upon his return.

Buffy looked over her shoulder in a subtle acknowledgement of his presence in the room. It was the first time since his arrival that they had been alone together. He approached, keeping a distance of several feet between them and joining her in looking out the window. The silence between them was heavy, with many words and thoughts unsaid.

As she turned to face him, he could see that her posture was closed off. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyes directed downward. Buffy's changeable gaze flickered up to his briefly, and she wore an expression that Giles recognized to mean that she wanted to say something, but didn't know exactly what. She remained quiet, sighing heavily and tilting her head to the side.

Giles could understand her hesitation. He most certainly could. This time he had been the one to disappear, and perhaps she wasn't quite able to forgive him sight unseen. She was already under so much strain, and the timing of his arrival with the Potential Slayers could only add to her anxiety. It would seem, then, that it would be his responsibility to take the first step. "Buffy, I wish to tell you-"

She interrupted him abruptly, giving the ghost of an uncertain smile. "Giles, I think I have an idea of where The First might be hiding. I really can't stay cooped up here anymore. I should go check it out."

Her tone was so casual, it caught him quite off guard. "Well, I suppose-"

"Wanna come with?"

The Slayer's face was unreadable. Giles felt a nervous trepidation surrounding her request, but he couldn't quite fathom whether it originated from himself or if he was sensing the emotion from Buffy. The fact that she was reaching out, in her own way, did not go unnoticed. "Of course, if you like."

Buffy nodded, brushing past him into the entryway of the house. "Let's go."

And with that, the Watcher and the Slayer donned their coats and headed out into the night.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

There was something almost wrong about the quaint and pleasant appearance of downtown Sunnydale at the best of times, but with Christmas just two days away the duplicitous charm of Main Street was at an all-time high. In a town infested with monsters, perched atop a Hellmouth with unprecedented evil percolating from every crack in the sidewalk, the outward appearance of holiday cheer stuck out like a sore thumb. Lights shone from every window, trees and garlands and garish decorations adorned every lamppost and street corner. People hurrying home in the newly birthed darkness looked for all the world like they were rushing to finish their Christmas shopping, instead of hurrying to be safe before the night could bare its tireless fangs.

Buffy and Giles walked side by side down Main Street in awkward but companionable silence, each one wondering what the other was thinking. Buffy, for her part, was wishing that things between the two of them were not so uncomfortable. Between her stress, his evident worry, and the elephant in the room that was their set of scorching encounters before his return to England… the atmosphere was so thick with tension that you couldn't have cut it with a very sharp katana, never mind a knife.

They kept shooting each other small glances, observing from the corners of their eyes. The festive environment, snowmen, mistletoe, fa-la-la… well, it wasn't exactly helping. It was like being in some kind of bizarro galaxy, where nothing was what it seemed. Giles was the first one to man up and try to diffuse the discomfiture. "This place you originally saw The First—you say it was in a Christmas tree lot?"

"Under it. There was a hidden cavern. Just happened to be under a tree lot. The Bringers were doing some kind of ritual. Giles, this is bad, isn't it? A new kind of bad." She looked at him inquiringly, almost glad for the distraction of shop talk to keep her mind from wandering to other not-so-forgotten places.

"Just in time for Christmas," he replied, which was as good as a 'yes' in Buffy's book.

Continuing down the street, Buffy sighed and shook her head. "You know, I didn't even realize it was December? Maybe when we get home, we should decorate the rubble."

She was rewarded with a small smile from Giles, which made her feel warmer inside than all the little twinkling holiday lights which were designed to instill joy and cheer. The moment of humor gave Buffy the courage needed to at least hint at the other thing that was bothering her. The her and Giles thing. She wasn't sure if he would want to talk about it, but it couldn't hurt to test the waters.

"Think you'll ever show up for a real visit? The kind where the world isn't about to end?"

A surprised expression graced his slightly careworn face, a moment of boyish bewilderment evident in his handsome features. He obviously hadn't expected her to breach the subject. It was certainly a touchy one; their lives were not a hospitable environment for romance, which was a fact that they had both tacitly acknowledged. That didn't mean Buffy had to like it, however. Maybe what she was really asking was if there would ever be a chance for them, at all.

"If we survive this, I promise."

His answer was simple, filled with the all the things he wanted to say but couldn't. Buffy supposed she could be satisfied with it, for now. There would be time for more talk later. For now, she tried to convey her feelings through the tone of her voice. "Good. 'Cause I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

As they turned the corner onto the side street that led to the Christmas tree lot at the edge of downtown, Buffy reached over and grabbed Giles' hand. Her small fingers tingled pleasantly as she twined them with his larger ones, and a thrill ran up her spine as she felt his thumb gently caressing the palm of her hand. The air around them was silent, but for the beating of their hearts.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

That's it for chapter one! There's just one more- this is another 'short' story from me. I'll be hoping to have this completed in the next few days. Otherwise, what's the point of having a Christmas fic? :P

Feedback is encouraged as always, and will be rewarded with unwrapped Christmas presents. Yes, that's right. I was so busy getting this fic ready to post that I haven't wrapped any gifts yet! (sigh) Looking like it's going to be a long night! Merry Christmas, everybody!


	2. Chapter 2

Here's part two of my B/G Christmas story. A little bit late, I guess, but it's still technically the holidays… right? Hope you guys will enjoy it.

**Warning:** I think this chapter drank a bottle of Riesling. Or the author did while writing it, at any rate. ;)**  
**

**Title: **Silent Night 2/2**  
Author: **mischiefmagnet**  
Rating: **M. This chapter quite heavily so...**  
Pairing: **Buffy/Giles**  
Summary: **Sequel to _Unguarded_, but can be read as a stand alone. Giles has arrived in Sunnydale with the Potentials just in time for Christmas. Things are tense between Slayer and Watcher. Will the spark between them light up or fizzle out? A B/G Christmas story.**  
Spoilers: **Set right around the time of Season 7 'Bring On the Night', so at least up until then.**  
Disclaimer: **Carries over from part 1.

**Silent Night: Chapter 2**

Buffy winced at the familiar bite of the antiseptic as Giles carefully tended to the cut on her eyebrow. Slayer healing would take care of her injuries practically overnight, disinfected or not, but he had insisted. Her thoughts were swirling around in her head so fast that she could hardly focus on the light pressure of his hands or his concerned face, intent upon the task, mere inches away from her own. It brought back memories of the time when she had tended his cuts and bruises in this same bathroom, just a few short months ago.

It might as well have been years since that night. Now, Annabelle was dead, the Turok-han was still on the loose, and Spike remained in the clutches of The First. So far Buffy had succeeded in getting her ass kicked twice, with absolutely nothing to show for it. Even Giles, who had claimed that she had 'all his faith', was obviously beginning to doubt her. The Slayer's throat constricted as she recalled the dispassionate tone in his voice when he spoke to the others about the possibility of internal bleeding, how unconcerned he had sounded when he told them that he didn't _think_ she would die.

She remembered, with minty fresh clarity, the last time she had felt exactly this way. Everything about this moment reminded her. The gentle attention with which he treated her wounds, her confusion and anger regarding his behavior, the uncontrollable churning of her stomach… slap her into a pair of denim overalls and it might as well be her eighteenth birthday all over again.

Now just as much as back then, she was caught between needing his comfort and hating his actions. As his deft fingers brushed across her bruised and jaggedly split lip, the shudder she experienced reminded her that there were elements involved now that made things even more complicated than they had been after the Cruciamentum. She was willing to admit that some of what she had been feeling then made a whole hell of a lot more sense now, if looked at from a certain angle. Was it possible that she felt this way about Giles even in high school? Buffy giggled briefly at her own shortsightedness. Unfortunately, smiling made her cuts hurt and it came over looking like a cringe.

The contortions of her face caused Giles to pause in his work, and he regarded her with a sort of confused trepidation. His eyebrows were knit together so cutely, Buffy was finding it hard to be mad at him. She swayed slightly atop the closed toilet seat, and his arm reached out instinctively to steady her. Allowing her body to pitch forward slightly, she gripped one of his shoulders and took comfort in his solidity. He was kneeling in front of her on the bathroom floor, first-aid kit open next to him. There was a fear in his eyes, unobscured even behind his glasses, that did not correspond with the harsh words she had heard him speak earlier.

"So what's the prognosis, Doctor Giles?"

He frowned slightly, releasing his steadying grip on her arm. "I beg your pardon?"

"Am I gonna die or not? Inquiring minds want to know."

The frown deepened and he removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Buffy, you and I both know that it would take much more than this to kill you. Why would you even ask such a question?"

Narrowing her eyes, Buffy reached out and pulled his hand away from his face so that she could see him. "Why don't you tell me? You're the one that let the others think my life was hanging in the balance. Was that supposed to boost my confidence?"

Giles sighed, turning the hand she had grabbed so that his palm slid against hers. "I'm sorry Buffy, I just… it's dangerous for them to think of you as invincible. They won't grow stronger if they rely on you for everything."

"You're the one who told them I was our only hope against The First."

Slumping down in front of her, Giles looked at their joined hands, his thoughts obviously traveling to another plane. She couldn't remember the last time her Watcher had looked so totally defeated. "I know. I shouldn't have put so much pressure on you. It was inexcusable. I thought it better for them to have some hope, rather than none at all. Perhaps I was wrong." He looked like he was ready to cry, and Buffy finally understood that Giles was terrified. In fact, he was just as scared as she was. "Buffy, I didn't know what else to do. I still don't."

"Shhh, it's okay." she whispered. Both her hands reached out to frame his face, tilting it upward so that she could look into his eyes. "There is still hope, but you were right. They need to work for it. We can't just let things happen anymore. And if it's up to me to _make_ them happen instead, I'm fine with that. But… Giles, I can't do this alone. I need your faith and your support. I need…"

He had moved closer to her as she spoke, unfolding to the maximum height allowed by his kneeling position. Buffy whimpered as she felt his hands stroking up her legs, starting at her knees and coming to rest on top of her thighs. His thumbs traced distracted circles, which she felt through the velour material of her pants. Her hands were still caressing his face, trembling, and she noticed a certain wild vulnerability in his eyes which spoke of deeply hidden anguish.

One hand slid to her hip, squeezing absently. His other tangled into her hair, grasping behind her ear and drawing her forward. Buffy's breath came in short gasps as his turbulent green eyes told their story. "I can't stand the thought of losing you, Buffy. I-"

Suddenly, her lips were pressed against his. She shut her eyes, winding her arms around his neck to draw him closer. She met with no resistance from Giles, who simply leaned in further and moved the hand that had rested on her hip so that his arm was wrapped snugly around her waist. Their mouths caressed gently at first, awakening with the memory of touch. Tilting her head to the side, Buffy tried to taste more of him, pushing her tongue through the seam of his lips to stroke the inside of his mouth.

Giles was by no means a detached participant. A low growl escaped his throat, vibrating into their kiss as he slid his tongue along the back of her top row of teeth and stroked it against the roof of her mouth. Their chests were pressed together, Buffy's legs spreading further apart, wanting him even closer. Their hands began to wander, teasing patches of exposed skin and moving over the shape of each other's bodies through the barrier of their clothes.

Buffy could tell that Giles was using extraordinary restraint to keep the kiss gentle, trying not to harm her busted lip. She forced her mouth harder against his, ignoring the almost pleasurable sting of pain, wanting to give him everything she could. He responded by twining his tongue heatedly with hers and stroking his fingers down the line of her neck, searching for the zipper of her velour tracksuit.

They broke the kiss, looking into each other's eyes as he began to unzip her top. She reached around to cradle his head, pressing her lips against the side of his face as he moved his kisses along her neck and collarbone. "Mmm. Giles…" Buffy gasped, pressing her hips forward and wrapping her legs around his torso.

As he teased her newly exposed sternum with his teeth and tongue, an insistent knock came at the bathroom door.

It was Dawn. "Are you guys done in there yet? I know Buffy's face is pretty torn up, but this _is _the only bathroom in the house. Nature, you know? It's kinda calling!"

And with that, Giles was on his feet, looking abashed, while Buffy re-zipped her top and picked the first aid kit up off the floor. She cleared her throat. "Just a second, Dawnie!"

As Giles reached out for the doorknob, Buffy stopped him with a hand on his arm. The Watcher jumped slightly and turned his head toward her. She handed him his glasses, noticing how his hand shook as they made the exchange. "Th-thank you," he ground out. They shared a long and searching look, during which Buffy could see her Watcher rebuilding the walls behind his eyes. She sighed, following him out of the bathroom and studying his tall and sturdy form as it traveled down the hallway at speed.

Dawn had noticed Giles' hasty departure, and gave Buffy a questioning look. "What's _his_ problem?"

Shrugging, Buffy took a few steps toward her bedroom, regarding Dawn out of the corner of her eye. "He has a lot on his mind. He'll be okay."

The Slayer sighed as her sister shut the bathroom door. "…I hope," she added under her breath. Buffy looked down the hall at the point where Giles had disappeared from view, still feeling the aftershocks of what had just happened between them. Why did everything have to be so… difficult? What had ever happened to 'I got a thing, maybe you have a thing'… She shut the door to her bedroom and flopped down onto her bed, face first.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

For a long time, he laid on the couch and he thought. Hands propped behind his head and legs scrunched at the knee so that he would fit onto the rather inadequately short piece of furniture, he permitted his mind to absently scrutinize his actions, his feelings, and the position they were in. God, he loved her. So much that it hurt to be in the same room and not touch her, to deny himself the comfort of the simple physical contact that she was so obviously willing to give.

What she needed, however, was his strength. She needed his faith and his support, she had said so herself. And if he didn't keep hold of himself he wouldn't be able to give her any of those things, because she would see how shattered he actually was inside and how fragile his control over the situation really had become.

Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, not that it mattered. The First was unlikely to take a holiday, and they would have to keep fighting just like it was any other day. As Giles drifted to sleep, he reasoned that if he had just one Christmas wish, perhaps he would travel back in time to that night months ago when he held her in his arms with no fears and no regrets. She was everything to him, but to keep her alive and himself sane, he would put his feelings on the shelf. And maybe, just maybe, if they made it through this fight, there would be a chance for them after all.

He sighed, feeling the ghost of her fingers tracing across his lips, his whole body in a tumult just thinking about her slender form wrapping itself lasciviously around him. Rupert Giles smiled, an expression so brief that it could have been missed by even the sharpest eye. His imagination and his libido were obviously in league against him, but nobody had said this would be easy…

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Two more Potential Slayers arrived on the morning of Christmas Eve. Chloe and Vi had sensed each other out somewhere between the Sunnydale bus depot and Buffy's house- now otherwise known as Slayer Central- and had arrived together, slightly spooked but without incident. This meant another shuffle of sleeping arrangements, in which Buffy lost the privacy of her bedroom and Giles lost his couch after merely one night of constricted but comparatively blissful slumber.

Buffy sighed, pulling on her boots in the fading afternoon light. Classy, but not too high-heeled to run in. Her skirt was functional as well, form fitting, but with a diagonal cut that would allow for any necessary ass-kicking that might take place. With a wry expression, the Slayer contemplated the sad fact that such things needed to be taken into consideration while getting ready for… a Christmas party. School had let out for the holiday yesterday, but Principal Wood had insisted that the only appropriate time for a _real_ faculty holiday celebration was Christmas Eve itself.

Checking herself over in the mirror and giving her reflection a non-committal shrug, Buffy grabbed a leather jacket from the closet and headed downstairs. She was hoping to make a short appearance at the party and then maybe take a quick patrol just to see if anything was going on- the past two days had been altogether too quiet, notwithstanding her fight with the Turok-han. At the bottom of the stairs, she met Giles. The carefully hidden flash of his eyes told Buffy that he, at least, approved of her outfit.

"You… errr…" The Watcher cleared his throat and leveled his gaze, "You look lovely, Buffy."

Her lips quirked into a smile. She could see that he was confused by her attire. A tiny, mean little part of her wished she could turn his bewilderment to her advantage and make him _so_ jealous. After their spontaneous encounter in the bathroom, however, the tension between them was already thick enough without adding extra… layers. "Thanks. Unfortunately I have to go to a Christmas party for work. I might patrol after that, so don't wait up."

Giles raised an eyebrow, removing his glasses and leaning one hand against the doorframe separating the foyer from the living room. "Well seeing as I've no place to sleep but the floor, I doubt that will be a concern. I'll see you when you get in."

It was something that she realized she liked- the idea of him waiting up for her, being there when she got home. There would probably even be tea. Taking a few steps in his direction, Buffy looked around to make sure there weren't any nosy onlookers. Satisfied, she raised herself on tiptoe and feathered a chaste kiss onto his lips. Giles stayed perfectly still as she drew away. He looked like a beguiling combination of a deer in the headlights and a tiger ready to pounce. Part of Buffy wished that he would just let himself go, lay a claim to her for everyone to see, take her right here by the staircase where anyone could walk in on them. If he did that, though, she would probably_ never_ make it to the Christmas party.

Instead of kissing him again, which was what she would have liked to do, she smiled, holding his eyes with her changeable blue-green gaze. "Thanks."

He rewarded her with a small grin, replacing his glasses on his face and crossing his arms over his chest. "Be careful."

"You know I will."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It was well past midnight when Buffy arrived home. The Christmas party had been sparsely attended, due to the fact that many of the teachers were out of town for the holiday. Unfortunately this made it even harder to get away, because the lack of attendees meant her presence would be more easily missed. She had slipped away around nine and started a very exhaustive patrol. It wasn't so much because of the activity out in the night; more because of all the thoughts swirling through her head. Walking the streets and graveyards in the dark hours had always helped her sort through the mess, at least between stakings.

The house was dark when she entered, and she could see a baby-Slayer-shaped lump slumbering on the couch. She thought about heading upstairs to change into something more comfortable, but she could hear a familiar set of noises beckoning from the kitchen. A certain kind of shuffling, the sound of a burner flaring to life. Giles was making tea. Buffy crept silently down the hallway, not wanting to disturb any sleeping Potentials or snoozing Andrews. Sure enough, she found her Watcher in the kitchen fiddling with the tea things.

"Buffy, hello," he said in a low voice. He was measuring leaves into the tea ball with characteristic accuracy, glancing up at her as she deposited herself on a stool at the breakfast bar. "Everything alright?"

"Quiet as a mouse." Buffy frowned slightly. "Don't you think that's a bit strange? Nothing going on in any part of town." She removed her leather jacket, tossing it onto the stool beside her. "I'm getting kinda worried about Spike."

Giles' jaw tightened at the mention of the blond vampire. "I am sure you needn't worry. The First must know that you intend to rescue Spike. It would be foolish to dispose of such a… valuable bargaining chip."

The tea ball was slammed into the teapot with unnecessary violence, chain rattling. Giles placed both of his hands on the countertop, taking some pains to rein in his emotions. He regarded Buffy, briefly, and she found herself surprised by how close to the surface his hostility was. "Giles, we need Spike's help. He's an ally, nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh, and what has he ever done for us? For you? Forgive me if I fail to understand what assistance you think he can provide." He huffed over to the stove, picking up the boiling kettle and pouring the hot water into the teapot.

Buffy sat stunned, caught off guard by the Englishman's vehement antagonism regarding Spike. "Giles, what is this really about?"

Placing the lid on the kettle so the tea could steep, Giles deflated slightly. Sinking onto a stool at the edge of the kitchen island, he pushed up the sleeve of his dark button-down shirt and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry, Buffy. It's really none of my business, is it?" He removed his glasses, propping an elbow on the countertop and rubbing his temples. "I just hope you won't let your feelings for Spike impair your judgement."

Oh. So _that_ was it.

"My _feelings_? Giles, please. That is _so_ over. Not that there really was much of anything to begin with. Besides…" She rose and moved closer to him, sitting on the edge of the stool next to his. "… I _want_ it to be your business."

He didn't seem to know quite how to respond to her statement. His mouth opened and closed, and he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Buffy, I… we can't do this. You know that."

"No, I _don't_ know. And if you feel the same way I feel, I definitely don't understand." She reached across the divide to trace her fingers over the top of his hand. "Why won't you just let it happen? Don't you think we deserve this?"

Jumping out of his seat, he looked around the room distractedly. After a few moments of panic, he found an anchor, something to focus on. "The tea should be ready by now. Would you care for some?"

Buffy nodded after a pause, letting his evasion of the issue slide for the moment. She owed him at least the benefit of enough time to compose himself. She watched as he fixed her tea exactly how she liked it, with two sugars and just a splash of milk. He took the two cups and saucers and brought them back over to their seats. Standing next to his stool, he reached over to hand Buffy her teacup. As she reached out to take it from him, the tips of their fingers brushed against each other. At the same moment, their eyes met.

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. The teacup and saucer plummeted to the floor beside them, smashing into jagged but unregarded pieces. Before the cup even hit the linoleum, Buffy and Giles were kissing deeply, mouths colliding with something akin to electromagnetic force. His arms went around her, yanking her into a standing position and depositing himself onto the stool so that their heights were nearly even. She pressed her body against his, insinuating her smaller form between his legs as they continued to kiss with sensual and demanding force.

The only word that came to Buffy's lust-addled mind at this turn of events was '*yes*'. This was right. This was perfect. This was exactly what she wanted. A happy little moan escaped her throat as one of Giles' hands wound up into her hair and the other descended, caressing down the length of her spine and coming to rest on her backside. She squirmed against the hand, encouraging, and was rewarded with a light squeeze.

Giles gasped as their lips parted, green eyes searching hers. She pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth in response, never breaking eye contact. He shuddered, brushing the hair away from the side of her face with one large hand as she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and gave it a nibble. Their kisses were like a drug; the more of each other they took, the more they needed to stay satisfied. Within moments their mouths were molded tightly once again, tongues feverishly entangled.

They stayed this way for several minutes, kisses moving over lips, jaws, earlobes, and even eyebrows. Buffy had both arms wrapped around Giles' neck, taking it in turn to caress his back and shoulders through the material of his shirt. His hands were also busy; one pushing aside the edge of her blouse so that he could kiss the juncture of her neck and shoulder, the other gliding up to the small of her back and pulling her harder against him.

Buffy could feel the incontrovertible evidence of his desire, and she ground herself deliberately against the hardness in his pants. "Jesus, Buffy," he gasped out, letting his head fall back in bliss. She took the opportunity to drag her tongue up his neck and over his pulse point, pausing to bite the sensitive flesh. His hips rocked against hers in response, and she found herself smiling, feeling joy in the act of giving him such pleasure. While he was distracted, she moved her small hands to the front of his shirt and started to unbutton.

When Giles realized what she was up to, he made an alarmed sound in his throat and stilled her inquisitive hands. "That… we can't, love, not _here_…"

Raising an eyebrow and pressing her center against his arousal once again, Buffy begged to differ. "Giles, this is the only room in the house without a mini Slayer sleeping in it."

He sputtered as she leaned over, taking his earlobe between her lips and scraping her teeth against the delicate skin. "But…" he released an involuntary groan of abandon in the middle of the sentence, which drained much of the credibility from his protest. "…somebody might-"

"This _is_ still my house, isn't it? If I want to make love in my kitchen, I dare anyone to try and stop me."

The argument ended there. Disarmed by her profession that she wished to make love to him, Giles allowed her hands to resume their quest to reveal more skin. He kissed her tenderly, slowly fitting the shape of his lips into perfect harmony with hers as his hand trailed down her leg and his fingers cleverly found their way beneath her skirt.

The two were so enraptured, so completely caught up in their moment of agonizing passion, that they failed to see a dark head peeking around the corner. The figure seemed to realize that its presence was likely unwanted, so after a few shocked moments of observation the visitor moved silently away…

**xxxxxxxxxx**

A shellshocked Kennedy returned, trancelike, to the bedroom she was currently sharing with Willow. What she had seen in the kitchen had been far, _far_ outside of what she had considered to be the realm of possibility. Silently, she made her way to the bed, climbing in and sitting indian style. She barely noticed the inquisitive witchy gaze that was greeting her.

"Hey, where's the cheese and crackers?" Willow wasn't exactly jazzed about having to share her room with a Potential Slayer, but the slumber party atmosphere did have certain advantages, such as sending someone else to go fetch the midnight snack.

Kennedy was still in a slightly amused daze. "What? Oh…" The dark haired girl snickered. "I guess we weren't the only ones who were hungry."

Willow tilted her head sideways. "What do you mean?"

"There was someone down there. Snacking. On each other."

"Vampires? There were vampires in the kitchen?" Willow jumped up from her nest of blankets on the bedroom floor, panicking and looking frantically around for the nearest bottle of holy water.

She became confused when the only answer she got from Kennedy was a series of manic giggles. Once the laughter subsided and Willow reseated herself, Kennedy spoke again. "No, silly! No vampires. Now come on, Willow. I thought us roomies were supposed to share all the best gossip. So why didn't you tell me about Buffy and Giles?" Kennedy snuggled down into the bed sideways, peering down at the witch with the eager expression of a high schooler who thinks they're about to hear something really juicy.

"About… what? What about Buffy and Giles?"

"You _know_! Like, how long have they been going at it hot and heavy?"

Willow's jaw dropped. "They… how long have they… we are talking about Buffy, right? Buffy and _Giles_?"

"Yes. Buffy. And Giles," Kennedy parroted. "They're down there right now devouring each other in the kitchen. I mean, I've heard about Watchers and Slayers getting together before, but *wow*!"

Willow was paralyzed with shock. "I… I…" Feeling slightly faint, she allowed her head to fall back onto her pillow. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she tried to wrap her considerably mighty brain around the concept. Buffy… and Giles? "Oh Goddess… Tara, you were _right!_"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Buffy trembled with anticipation at the feeling of Giles' hand sliding up the outside of her thigh. She tilted her leg just slightly sideways, causing her skirt to ride up even further. His right hand, meanwhile, had found its way up the back of her blouse and was stroking the skin there. Leaning into the warmth which radiated from his newly exposed torso, Buffy bent her head sideways and placed a hot open-mouthed kiss on Giles' chest just above his nipple. She could see the bud of flesh tightening in response, so she slid her lips over and teased it with her teeth. Giles released a choked groan, his fingers on the skin of her back digging into her flesh.

She had almost forgotten about his hand up her skirt in her moments of fascination with his bare chest, but it reasserted its presence in a big way when Buffy felt Giles' thumb pressing against her clit through the silky material of her panties. She whimpered, lips pressing loosely against his. He rubbed the thumb in slow circles, and she threw her head back, hands clutching at his open shirtfront for support. He rewarded her response by pushing the silky undergarment aside and sliding one long finger into her waiting warmth.

"Yes…" She pushed her hips against his hand, wanting more of the delicious sensations. Buffy's hands scrambled away from the collar of his shirt, which they had been grasping like a lifeline, and flew to his belt buckle.

He gently grasped her hands and pushed them away. "Not yet," he whispered. He rose to his feet. Buffy made a small noise of protest, until she felt herself being lifted from the floor and set onto the kitchen counter. Her skirt was bunched almost up to her hips by the time she was seated, a fact she understood as a deliberate act on Giles' part.

His hands were braced on the kitchen counter on either side of her as he bestowed a very erotic series of kisses on her mouth. A short one, a long and languorous one with lots of teeth and tongue, a feather soft touch of the lips that was barely there… Giles kept her so intrigued with the endless variety of his kisses that Buffy wasn't even aware that her blouse was totally undone, as well as the clasp of her bra. She laughed as she shrugged the garments away. "Sneaky," she breathed.

"Are you complaining?" His large hands covered her breasts, giving them a warm and stimulating massage. His slightly callused thumbs teased her nipples, and complaints were the furthest thing from her mind. Replacing his hands with his mouth as his fingers slid down her torso, Giles didn't give her a chance to reply. He pushed her skirt up even further so that it was bunched around her waist.

Making his way down her body with unhurried kisses, the Watcher allowed his hand to slide back inside of Buffy's panties, intoxicated by the slick wet heat he found there. Hooking his fingers into the waistband of her underwear, he gently pulled them off. Taking care not to catch them on the heels of her boots, he looked around thoughtfully for a moment with the panties in his hand. Not wanting to leave them forgotten on the kitchen table, he placed the silky underwear into the pocket of his trousers.

"Saving them for later?" Buffy asked in a joking tone.

Giles kissed her gently, burning her with his gaze. "Not bloody likely. I want to give you everything right now." He resumed his path of kisses, starting between her breasts, descending to her navel, edging ever closer to his goal as he bent down before her. "I don't intend to save anything for later."

It took all of her willpower not to cry out when his mouth reached her burning core. His lips pressed insistently, tongue gliding a path up along her opening and sweeping up to tease her clitoris. Her body was throbbing with need for him, and she grabbed wildly at his shoulders as he buried his face between her legs. After a few moments, he added his clever fingers to the mix, pushing two digits in and drawing them back out while he did amazing things to her pulsing bundle of nerves with his lips and teeth and tongue. Being a quick study by nature, Giles soon found the exact way that he needed to rub his tongue against her clit, the perfect angle to thrust with his fingers to drive her absolutely crazy. In short order she was gasping and writhing in response to his efforts, painfully close to orgasm.

When Buffy was sure she couldn't take it anymore, she pulled Giles up and away from her center. Trapping his body between her legs she kissed him ardently, tasting herself in his mouth and fumbling with the fastenings on his belt. He assisted her, himself painfully aroused and not willing to wait much longer. Soon, his trousers and boxer shorts were pushed away, and Buffy's boot heels were digging into his backside to force him closer.

The kitchen counter happened to be at a very advantageous height. Both Buffy and Giles released shuddering breaths when his hardness met with her sensitized core. Buffy reached one small hand down to stroke him, wasting little time in leading the tip of his cock to her entrance.

It was absolute ecstasy when he slid inside her, burying himself to the hilt. The angle was steep, and their bodies were fused tightly together. Her legs were around his waist, inching higher up his torso to draw him deeper. Buffy's arms were around his neck, breasts pressed against his chest. They regarded each other for a long moment, nose to nose, conveying the force of their feelings without words. She broke the holding pattern first, rolling her hips deliberately against his. Soon they were locked in a tantalizing rhythm, with Giles driving in and out of her and Buffy using the kitchen counter as leverage to increase the unbearably sensuous pressure.

Their breathing became erratic, hands grasping at each other in a bid to pull their bodies even closer. "Giles…" Buffy could feel herself preparing for an explosive release, her channel gripping Giles' member as he fucked her deliciously. As her orgasm arrived, a loud moan began to wind its way up into her throat, and she didn't think she would be able to stop it. In the nick of time, she felt Giles' hand fly up to stifle her scream of pleasure.

The unintended sensuality of his hand across her mouth served to enhance and prolong her orgasm, and she was still feeling more than just aftershocks when he followed moments later. Removing his hand from her mouth, he kissed her savagely as he pumped his seed into her. Her body had risen completely off of the counter, hips grinding against his to feel as much of his pulsing cock inside of her as humanly possible. The invincibility of orgasm passed suddenly, and Giles' legs gave out. Their entwined bodies fell to the kitchen floor, thankfully avoiding the broken tea cup, landing in a satisfied tangle of limbs.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

For several minutes there was no sound made other than heavy, sated breathing. Buffy's head was pillowed on Giles' chest, and his hand traced indefinable patterns on the skin of her back. The Slayer made a pleased little noise as Giles' legs shifted slightly beneath her, causing his thigh to brush against her overstimulated center.

"Well, that was definitely worth the wait. Best Christmas present I've ever gotten." Buffy raised her head to look at Giles, tracing his features gently with her fingertips.

The Watcher sighed happily, tightening his arms around her. "Mmm. Indeed." His goofy grin morphed into a slightly pained expression as he looked into her face, "Buffy, I-"

His train of thought was derailed by a finger softly pressed against his lips. "Oh no you don't. I can just imagine all the serious stuff that wants to come out of that gorgeous mouth. It can wait. Right now, we're just going to be happy for five minutes. It's Christmas, after all. Got it?"

He nodded, willing to admit that there was a certain wisdom in her suggestion. In moments like these, they could be together like they wanted to be, no matter what else was happening in their twisted and unpredictable lives. And if they survived the next big threat, perhaps all their moments could be like this one.

Kissing her softly, with all the love he could summon, Giles marveled at the woman in his arms, dazzled by the adoration in her eyes and the glow of their lovemaking. "Merry Christmas, Buffy."

**XXXXXXXXXX  
XXXXXXXXXX**

That's the end! Happy New Year, everybody! Feedback will be rewarded with the pop of a Champagne bottle. Don't hesitate to leave *lots* of reviews- I like cheap Champagne, so it's no strain on my wallet! ;)


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